Wilder
Enderle & Moll
Baden Pinot Noir 2020
E&M amuse bouche. A tease of what these guys can do, in the right ratios, just cheaper, uncomplex a little wilder, with little nuances and plenty of expression.
Feral and vinegary for a second, then a fresh basket of cherries, citrus accents, and forest floor, creeping vegetation.
Perfect at $20. — 3 years ago
Yamamoto
Junmai Ginjo No. 6
Yamamoto Junmai Ginjyo No. 6 - a very thoughtful gift from KK. He clearly knows how much of a fan I am of Aramasa, the birth place of the No. 6 starter. Put that in the hands of another cult brewer in Akita (NB: both Next5 brewers), and you've got quite an intrigue. Drank side by side with two other No.6 peers from Aramasa, this was distinctly different. Richer and wilder, which made sense being a unpasteurized, undilluted brew of Yamadanishiki. The nose was all yeasty, with some topical fruits punching through. On the palate, it was rich and umami with a round glycerol opulence, yet all balanced by elegant green apple notes and bright acidity. I'm a fan, but it's got nothing on the Aramasa's on the table. — 3 years ago
La Rioja Alta
Viña Alberdi Reserva Rioja Tempranillo 1996
No one chooses to have these kinds of bottles, the bottles themselves choose you. From the first whiff, you can smell the age; dried cherries, weathered leather, a trace of cigar box, and a hint of vanilla that lingers like memories of wilder days. On the palate, the wine unfolds slowly, each layer revealing the finesse of a life lived with grit and grace. The tannins, softened with age yet carrying a hint of defiance. — a year ago
Simon Bize & Fils
Savigny-les-Beaune Pinot Noir 2019
2022/10. This was a bit wilder than I’m used to for this wine - perhaps a bit reduced as well. It was probably just young as it improved with air but ideally needs a couple of years. — 4 years ago
Wieninger
Grand Select Pinot Noir 2023
Lovely Pinot. Bit young but with a very nice dinner @landgasthaus Wilder Mann in Lans — 4 months ago
Fattoria di Fèlsina Berardenga
Riserva Rancia Chianti Classico Sangiovese Blend 2017
The 2017 Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia is incredibly polished and sophisticated. Silky tannins give the 2017 its racy, sleek personality. Over the last year, the 2017 Riserva has really settled into a gorgeous place. There is plenty of vintage 2017 intensity, but Rancia is distinctly medium in body and restrained. The wilder side of Sangiovese, one of the signatures of Rancia and Fèlsina. — 4 months ago
Château Musar
Bekaa Valley Red Blend 2016
What a joy to find this bottle at a NYC steakhouse. It’s been a while. Initially turned on by these ancient Lebanese vineyards and organic practices. And blending fruit that we are Las Jaras use. Drinking well for being a ‘16. VA a bit high but reminiscent of some wilder Barolo — 3 years ago
de Lancellotti
Chehalem Mountains Estate Pinot Noir 2019
Drank with grilled pork tenderloin. A little wilder, less restrained than the past few, raw and great pairing. — 4 years ago
Lyle Fass
Founder Fass Selections
Exactly in the zone. Gorgeous nose of lavender, wild mint, Herbes de Provence, grilled meat, bacon, blood, granite and blackberry fruit. This has become fully mature but not old, with that perfect mid-term aging window where the fruit is still alive and the savory Rhône complexity has arrived. Palate is juicy, sappy and energetic, with dark fruit, meat, smoke, granite and real structure. Tannins gained a little grip with air, but the fruit kept winning. Beautifully Crozes, but if blinded, many would guess elite Saint-Joseph. Drinking at apogee, and honestly could still go longer. 9.4, flirting hard with 9.5.
Day two. Nose is mintier, wilder, more sauvage. Still juicy, clean, drinkable, and delicious, with a long finish and real fruit remaining, but it has lost a little clarity and precision from day one. Not collapsed at all, just slightly less vivid. Still absolutely something I’d drink happily. — 15 hours ago